Make your pick: Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks

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The Seahawks traveled about 6,036 miles for the road games at Carolina, Houston and Indianapolis that have made up the majority of Seattle’s 2013 schedule thus far. For those of you scoring at home, that distance is roughly one-fourth of the way around the globe.

Is this the NFL or “The Amazing Race”?

The Seahawks are understandably upbeat about staying close to home as they host the Tennessee Titans, their third-straight AFC South foe, on Sunday at CenturyLink Field. What they’re not so jazzed about is coming off of a loss for the first time this season, a 34-28 thriller at Indianapolis in one of the league’s best games of the early season.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad loss for the Seahawks. They played well through three quarters of the game, falling in the final period thanks to huge days from Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and receiver T.Y. Hilton.

Indianapolis should be considered among the best teams in the NFL. Tennessee should not.

The Titans looked like one of the league’s most surprising stories after a 3-1 start, but the shine dulled after former Washington Huskies star Jake Locker was knocked out of their Week 4 win over the New York Jets with a serious hip injury.

Last week, without QB Locker, the Titans put up a good fight but eventually fell 26-17 at home to the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Tennessee takes on another formidable opponent in the Seahawks on Sunday, and you can bet the 12th Man will be there in force.

Playing without three of their starting five linemen, the Seahawks offense moved the ball well on the ground against a good Indy defense. Marshawn Lynch had his first 100-yard game of the season at 102, and Russell Wilson matched him yard for yard.

But Wilson struggled throwing the ball, completing fewer than half of his 31 pass attempts for 210 yards on the day. Time will tell whether that was simply a result of the Colts’ pass-rush — which regularly harassed the Seattle quarterback in the second half — or something on Wilson’s end, but Seattle’s passing game needs to perform better Sunday against the Titans.

In Indianapolis, the Hawks defense wasn’t shredded the way it was in Houston a week earlier, but it certainly failed to step up when the game was on the line. Luck’s 73-yard touchdown pass to Hilton for the Colts’ first score was the result of a miscommunication between cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Earl Thomas, and perhaps a less-than-all-out effort on Sherman’s part after the catch.

Third-down conversions were the story of the game, with Indy finishing 7-for-12 while Seattle converted just two of its 12 opportunities. Pass interference penalties on Sherman and Brandon Browner extended Colts scoring drives, and the vaunted Seahawks defense simply couldn’t get off the field.

The Titans’ offensive struggles against Kansas City weren’t necessarily attributable to former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, starting in place of Locker. His two interceptions were certainly costly, but he didn’t get much help from star running back Chris Johnson, who ran for only 17 yards on 10 carries.

Johnson did take a desperation shovel pass from Fitzpatrick 49 yards for a touchdown, but for the Titans offense to work he simply has to be the star. Since his breakout 2009 campaign — when he ran for 2,006 yards and 14 touchdowns in one of the best seasons in NFL history — he just hasn’t been the player the Titans need him to be.

Without a significant run threat, defenses can focus on pressuring the quarterback — be it Locker, Fitzpatrick or anyone else, frankly — and prevent him from delivering the ball to a capable group of receivers that includes former first-round pick Kendall Wright and Nate Washington.

The Tennessee defense has performed well in the early season and comes into Sunday’s game ranked ninth in yards allowed, equally stingy against the run and the pass. Former Ravens safety Bernard Pollard leads the team in tackles and fourth-year cornerback Alterraun Verner has already set a career mark for interceptions with four, which ties for the league lead.

For Seattle, the biggest problem ought to be its still-weakened offensive line. Though center Max Unger is slated to return after missing the Texans and Colts games, the Seahawks will still be missing two high-impact starters in left tackle Russell Okung and Breno Giacomini. Seattle may also be without middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, who returned from Indianapolis suffering a high ankle sprain, and is likely to be missing tight end Zach Miller as well.

So how do you think the Hawks will fare in their return to the CLink?

Who will win: Seahawks or Titans?

Passing game gets well at home, leads Hawks to big win over Tennessee.

Titans are tough, but Seattle doesn't lose at the CLink. Seahawks in a close one.

Tennessee is better than advertised. Too close to call.

Fitzpatrick, Johnson and the Titans offense does just enough to squeak out the win.